We’re going to do some supposing.
Suppose you join an organisation and, as part of your induction, you are briefed on the system for claiming expenses. You are given guidelines that are, shall we say, open to interpretation.
Suppose, after a couple of months in the job, with lots of travelling and nights away from home, you want to have your expenses reimbursed. You go to the department that processes expense claims to collect the forms you need. The expenses you can claim for fall into various categories, some needing receipts attached and some not. It all seems rather confusing, so you seek advice. The official is helpful but rather offhand and more or less says that what you claim is up to you.
Suppose, still feeling unsure, you seek clarification from some experienced colleagues who have been with the organisation longer than you. They advise you to claim all the different allowances open to you. They assure you that everyone does this to compensate for salaries that are openly acknowledged to have fallen behind market rates.
Suppose, despite some misgivings, you act on the advice and claim all you have been told you are entitled to. Your claim goes through with no questions asked and the money is paid into your bank account.
Suppose you gradually get used to the system; it all seems normal and routine and your expense claims are never queried. Your job is demanding and you are very busy. You start to get “careless” and claim for some things that you know are iffy. No questions are ever asked – your claims, just like everyone else’s, always go through on the nod.
In the light of all these suppositions, what would you do if, suddenly, your expenses were challenged and you were asked to justify them?
I bet you’d blame the system.